The concept of mastery will always captivate the human mind. Being able to assert total control over a tool or profession in a world as chaotic as ours stimulates the innate human desire to influence and shape reality to our liking. We value mastery in whatever form it inhabits. For those with refined tastes, the work of concert musicians or top scientists often satiates the soul. For those on the other end of the spectrum, watching John Cena outwrestle The Rock or witnessing Joey Chestnut plow through packs of Nathan's hot dogs hits us harder than Salieri reading Mozart's music in Amadeus.
Aside from competitive eating and pro wrestling, another arena of human effort that sends the pleasure centers of my gray matter into overdrive is the world of video game speedrunning. Whenever gamers refine their approach to a level so precisely that they can vanquish foes in record time, my heart grows wings. The new game Neon White takes the idea of speedrunning and structures an entire game around it. In Neon White, you play a dead hitman with an array of level-specific abilities that allow you to maul opponents with little effort. However, the game's allure isn't tied to the opposition's difficulty but rather how quickly one can complete the level. Neon White rewards your continued attempts at mastery.
In the video linked above, Nintendo's YouTube channel features Neon White's gameplay and an overview of the plot and story world.
